Rasheem Biles, Texas’s new senior linebacker, absolutely popped off in the season opener, showing what he brings to the Longhorns defense. In their dominant 59-7 win over Texas State, Biles was right in the thick of it with a massive play in the second quarter.
The Punch-Out That Changed Everything
With about six minutes left before halftime, Biles went full “telephone booth” on Texas State running back Taji Atkins. That’s how he described it, a one-on-one battle. Instead of just wrapping Atkins up for a two-yard gain, Biles went for the ball, punching it loose from Atkins’ left arm. Talk about a heads-up play! Defensive back Graceson Littleton scooped that thing up and took it 59 yards to the house for a touchdown. That punch-out totally snuffed out any Texas State comeback hopes, pushing a 21-0 lead to 28-0. Littleton later said Biles’ forced fumble was “amazing” and “a really good punch-out.” Even coach Steve Sarkisian gave him props, calling Biles a “violent player” and his fumble-causing play “elite.” Sarkisian said, “Most guys just are worried about getting the guy on the ground, and he’s coming through with a six-inch punch as he’s tackling him to knock the ball out. The savviness, the intent, that’s hard to coach.”
Biles had a killer debut, notching five tackles, fourth most on the team, and was involved in two of UT’s three turnovers. Later, in the third quarter, he snagged an interception off a misfired screen pass. He got tackled quickly after that one, losing five yards, but still celebrated big, tossing the ball into Bevo XV’s pen. “That’s what everybody’s talking about. You get an interception, you go straight to Bevo,” Biles said. “That’s all the coaches been talking about, all the players been talking about. So since I got the pick, I ain’t got no other thought in my mind. Just go to Bevo, man.” He brought the energy, for real.
Hometown Showdown
Biles is a Pitt transfer, an all-conference honoree in the ACC last season, and he was ranked the No. 6 linebacker in the portal by 247Sports. He was a takeaway machine at Pitt too, returning both his interceptions and a fumble recovery for touchdowns last season. Texas fought off Colorado, Michigan, and even Miami to get him. But here’s the kicker, the next game is personal. This Saturday, No. 5 Texas is squaring off against No. 1 Ohio State. Guess what? Ohio State is Biles’ hometown team. He was clear about not wanting to transfer there, saying point blank, “I ain’t trying to be a Buckeye.” The stakes are sky-high, and Biles is leading the charge against the team from his own backyard. You know he’s going to be fired up for this one.
So get ready for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Royal-Memorial Stadium. You can catch it on ABC. All eyes are going to be on Rasheem Biles to see if he can bring that “elite” punch-out intensity and game-changing plays against the top team in the nation. It’s not just a big game, it’s personal.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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